1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sucker rod operated oil well pumps and more particularly to a pump liquid intake controller.
Pumping oil wells characteristically produce some natural gas which frequently results in a vapor lock in the pump. The gas lock or cavitation in the pump, in addition to disruptive effects on the pump components, such as erosion, pitting and fracturing of piping, results in economic loss as a result of reduced oil production. The cause of the gas lock is a pocket of gas trapped in the fluid passageway areas of the down-hole pump in which a static head of oil in the tubing above the pump tends to prevent dissipation of the gas and a resumption of oil production.
This invention substantially eliminates the gas lock problem of relatively small production pumping oil wells by inserting a restrictive member in the inlet section of a down-hole oil well pump.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior patents generally relate to tubular members having restrictive bore components inserted into the fluid passageway conveying liquid under relatively high pressure to provide a constant or steady flow of predetermined volume. Other restrictive members commonly used and generally known as "choke nipples" hold back the relatively high gas pressure for the production of oil at the well head.